2016 Election Toolkit

Driving Voter Registration

Increasing voter registration is the first step in increasing voter turnout. There are more ways to register to vote than ever before. Help your audience understand just how easy it is to get registered.

Registering is easy. Many states offer online voter registration,
while others even allow for same-day registration. You can also
register to vote and update your registration information by mail
or at your local election office. Cover these different registration
options on programming segments and share them on your
website. Direct your community to easy-to-use online tools,
such as eac.gov, vote411.org and rockthevote.com.

Share new rules and deadlines. Update voters on important
deadlines and any changes in registration rules since the last
election. Reach audiences through PSAs, on-air mentions,
programming segments, your website and social media. Let voters
know they need to update their registration if they have moved,
even if the move is only a short distance.

Spread the word. Get creative about how you talk about
registering to vote. The more “registration” is repeated, the more
your message will resonate with viewers. Use it in your tag lines,
coverage and on-air talk. Air PSAs early and often in the weeks
leading up to your state’s registration deadline. Make sure to
include registration resources on your website and share them
through social media.

Participate in voter registration drives. Team up with
local organizations for registration drives. Use on-air personalities
to encourage participation. Broadcast the event. Tweet live with a
specific hashtag, and encourage attendees to Tweet about their
participation using the same hashtag. Contact your local board of
elections for procedures on registering community members to
vote as there may be changes since the last election.

Go virtual. Hold a virtual registration drive on social media, encouraging
people to register to vote. Link to
online tools and forms, and ask your
viewers and listeners to “attend” the
event, invite others and share their
enthusiasm with friends. Create an
“I registered to vote,” graphic
featuring your station’s logo and
make it available for your audience
to download and share on social media.